


I am mine

by Moonbeamonacracker (Evillynn)



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-04-03 00:02:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4078936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evillynn/pseuds/Moonbeamonacracker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young mutant escapes from Magneto's Brotherhood, only to be caught up in the Avenger's mess. Wary of everything government related, Glitch wants nothing to do with them. Until Tony Stark offers to help Glitch manage her electrokinetic abilities...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Into the woods

**Author's Note:**

> After reading tons of fanfic, this is a first attempt of creating my own. I'm having great fun writing it, so I hope you'll enjoy reading it as well. Unbeta'd.

Glitch's pov

Thunder rumbles in the distance as I make my way through the fields to the Northridge power plant. I'm exhausted and energetic at the same time. I know why that is, and that it's slowly killing me. I need to get to that plant and get rid of the excess energy that is racing through my body - preferably without notifying anyone from Magneto's lot. Or the other camp's lot. Or anybody else who has any interest in any of our lot in general. Or...gah! Like my body, my head is crawling with excess energy and thoughts. I need to focus, please. Must not screw this up again. Guiltily I think back to my attempt to drain away the ton of unneeded - unwanted - energy at the Pembroke Power Plant yesterday. I was so eager and desperate to clear this shit out, that I ended up blowing up the place. Oops. Shredded my favourite flannel and burned a hole in my docs too. So much for stealth and staying under the rader. I don't even want to think about the number of red lights that must've started blinking in several organisations that I do NOT need to come after me. Jeez, focus! Come one, nearly there...

It seems weeks ago that I finally made my way out of Magneto's base, even though it's just two days. Things are starting to blur together. My eyes are burning and at times it feels like my body is moving without me having anything to do with it. Focus! Keep going!

Ever since I arrived at Magneto's base 4 years ago, I had the feeling that it wasn't the right place for me. Mildly put. But I was barely 17, a runaway, a freak, and by the time I got there I was a criminal too with all the shoplifting and pickpocketing I'd done to fill my stomach. So, beggars can't be choosers and it was actually nice to be amongst people with similar...peculiarities. Mutations. There, I've said it. I'm a mutant. Start screaming. For some unknown reason my body generates energy. A lot of it. I can control it to a certain extent, draw it inwards with some effort, so I don't hurt anything, but sometimes I slip up... And my slip ups were the reason for leaving my comfortable teenage life behind and finding a way that is safer for everyone, including myself. I've made it a habit not to touch people or animals, and I'm very wary in situations where people might touch me. I got used to it, after a while, not doing the touchy feely thing... Yeah, let's not go there. I can turn up the voltage too, and make quite a show if necessary. But at Magneto's base I learned that unless you're a power crazy sadist, it's most wise to keep a low profile. So I managed to get a job behind the screens, so to say. Dipping my hands into circuits and gently manipulating the current and make it do what I want. Cracked a lot of ATM's that way, haha. Anyway, since Magneto's almighty lawyers had managed to get custody over me as soon as I stepped in, my plan was to bide my time until I was 21, and then walk away from the megalomania. 

That may have been a bit too easy. Somehow, keeping my head down, picking up tips and tricks, managing some sort of self-control over this curse and blending in without becoming a total bitch still got me on the Magno-man's radar. About a week ago, I apparently got drafted for an experiment that aimed to enhance my mutation. You see, my ability to generate electricity depends on my physical state. If I'm fit and healthy, the energy source is big but it's not infinite. Sickness or exhaustions can decrease output a lot. Rumours were that Magneto had a new and daring plan in mind, something to do with a mutation-cure, and he was in need of a powerful, reliable energy source. And that's where I had to come in. 

I was summoned to one of the laboratories (should've run right then), where Callisto was waiting for me (should've run faster). One of the white coats working nearby glanced up, and told me to mind the delicate electronic equipment. I just couldn't help it. In a reflex, trying to avoid any damage, I pulled the current on my skin inside. Callisto had been waiting for that. With one of those impossibly quick moves of her, she injected something straight into my jugular. Continuous learning point: not looking out for other people. There wasn't even time to panic. I just blacked out.

When I surfaced again, the feeling of being overly full with energy was the first sensation. It swirled through my body and buzzed in my head. My thoughts were scattered, and panic was on standby, waiting to pounce on me. How long had I been in here? I'd never been this overloaded. How long had I been in here??!! Must breathe, breathe, exploding is not going to get me anywhere. I looked around me. The cell was about 3 by 3 metres, and the walls, floor and ceiling were completely cushioned with what looked like rubber. Darn. The rubber wasn't going to help me getting rid of the overload. It would only make the energy bounce back on (in) me...

Magneto's voice came floating out of a hidden speaker. 'Hello, dearest Glitch. As you have probably noticed, I have given you a little upgrade. Your average energy level should have increased significantly by now, at least that is what we think. The booster is a bit tricky to dose, I have been told. Anyhow, I suggest you work on incorporating and controlling your enhanced power level. The sooner you do that, the sooner we can let you out of this cell. I have some interesting plans for you...'

Plans, great. That sounded as if the effect of the booster wouldn't wear off anytime soon, if at all. My skin was crawling, bursting and I couldn't focus on a single thought. I had to get this mess under control. I had to before I turned into a mass of light and particles and soared up to repair the split in the universe...wait no, that was Zandramas, not me. But still.

I wasn't sure how long I'd been in the cell. There was food at a certain point, but I couldn't stand any of it. I didn't sleep, the ongoing buzzing wouldn't let me. I think I must've screamed, because my throat was sore and my voice hoarse. The walls were closing in on me. I had to get out...

In a moment of sheer desperation, I managed to get a grip on as much energy as I could possible hold, bundled it and threw it all at one single point on the wall. There was a loud sizzling, hissing noise, and to my relief I saw I had burned a 10-inch hole in the rubber wall. That was encouraging. Grimly, I focused again, this time handling a bigger chunk of the endless energy stream. It seemed I was supposed to break my way out of my rubber egg shell. Fine then. 

A few minutes later I stood outside the cell, tired from the exertion and the constant whirling in my mind. Although I had thrown quite a lot energy around, the buzzing and pressure inside of me hadn't diminished one bit. Callisto looked at me coolly. 'Took you long enough.' She said, bored. 'Go back to your room, we'll let you try something else tomorrow.' I shuddered, I didn't want to know what else they had in mind or what Magneto was planning to use me for. On my way back to my room I had to pay careful attention to where I was going. It was so easy to get lost in the endless buzzing. I passed the canteen, but I wasn't hungry, despite the fact that my last meal was days ago. 

Back in my room, I tried to lay down and sleep, but it was impossible. My body was tired and aching for sleep, but the buzzing and whirling were ever present. I couldn't stop moving, couldn't stop thinking. I had once spent a sleepless night due to too many Wodka-Red Bulls, but that was nothing compared to this. I was constantly being whipped into action, a crazy need to unleash onto whoever or whatever was in my sight. It scared the shit out of me. I needed it to stop before I killed someone or this freakshow got me killed instead. And whatever Magneto was planning, I was sure now that it wasn't in my benefit. To him, I was a tool to be used, and then discarded when broken. That wouldn't do at all. I had to leave.

Deciding to leave was one thing, actually leaving was another. Besides the white coats, it seemed that only Callisto was involved in the whole experiment. She could be quite annoying though with those reflexes of hers and the ability to feel other mutants' whereabouts. Without being able to make much of a plan, I decided to just leave my room and wander around the base, waiting for an opportunity and hopefully boring Callisto to death with my pointless strolling. I passed the canteen a few times, but I still couldn't stand the thought of food or drink. It made me even more uneasy. How far could this go before I seriously injured myself with no sleep or sustenance? How long before my mind was gone, and my body just a shell, no heartbeat but the limbs still twitching? I don't even liked Walking Dead...

It was with these less-than-positive thoughts that I passed the corridor leading towards the East exit. I didn't think about it, I just started running, a brisk and efficient pace. When I had almost reached the gate, Callisto stepped right into my path, again with an injecting device in her hand. I had no conscious thinking process going on about this fact. I just lifted my hand and blasted her out of the way. The gate and the guard met the same fate. A brief thought to check on them flickered in my mind, but it was quickly overridden by the need to flee. Plenty of time to feel guilty about that later. I put the energy to work and increased my pace into a comfortable 10 mile per hour speed. There was a highway and gas station nearby, where I would be able to steal a car and make a quicker pace. Whereto I didn't know yet, but to be honest I couldn't think that far ahead anyway. All that mattered now was to find a solution for the insane amount of energy in my body, before it devoured me. I needed to find a place to offload, without creating too much of a spectacle. Frolicking around with a thunderstorm? Perhaps, but then I needed a big one and it wasn't the right season for it. Besides, I had plans to dish out some lightning, not receive it. I needed a place where I could let the energy drain away, let it merge with something else...

\----------

And that's how I came up with the idea of sponsoring a power plant. I managed to snatch a hybrid car at a highway stop (no issues with running out of gas, ha ha...) and I chose Northridge Power Plant, a few hours away, not too close to the base but not too far either. I didn't know how much time I had before they would send a team after me or the lack of sleep and food would become too much. I managed a few swigs of water, but that was about it. And like I said, my first try with the power plant didn't go so well. Too hasty I guess. When I saw the main coils starting to melt, I made a run for it and managed to escape without too much damage. Unfortunately the hybrid didn't survive the explosion, so now I find myself running again, on my way to the next and final attempt to sort this issue nicely. 

The Pembroke Plant is fenced off and there is security at the gate. Just walking in is a bit too obvious, so hidden by the dark I circle the fence until I see a back entrance. Climbing the electrified fence is no issue, although I need to grit my teeth against the temptation of lighting it with some excess energy. A red-glowing and half molten fence might raise some suspicion. I reach the back entrance without problems, and with a single touch the electric lock clicks open. Yay! First I'll need to find the security room, and then on to the control room. Only then I'll have enough time to tackle my real problem here. On my way to the security room I see my reflection in a window for the first time. My eyes glow freakishly purple-pink with energy, and I turn away in disgust. It might be just enough to scare the guards into a faint. 

The security room has again an electric lock. It really is too simple. With a barely audible click, the door slowly swings open. There are two uniformed man sitting in front of the monitors, one is quite young, the other middle aged. I'll need to take a bit of time with them or I'll end up frying them. At the sound of my footsteps they turn around, startled. The older one gets up quickly. 'You're not allowed to be here ma'am...' and then he freezes, no doubt startled by my smouldering eyes. Sarcasm. Where's that sign when you need it. A few more steps towards them, and I'm able to touch both of them. As I let a tiny bit of the energy slip out, their bodies go rigid with the current coursing through them. I let go, and they crumple to the ground. Carefully I check on them. The older guy is out cold, but his heart is beating steadily. The younger one needs a bit more work or he will be up again in two minutes. I lay my hands on his shoulders and give him a bit more of the tazer treatment. That should do. 

The next step is the control room. The night shift contains 3 people, but with the security guards down I have plenty of opportunity to work through them. I seem to get better at this, at least I haven't killed anyone yet. The control room gives me a clear view on the layout of the plant. I need to find the point where the generated electricity leaves the plant, through the main coils, into the cable network that spreads the electricity through the state. It's on the east side of the plant, 2 floors down. Nearly there. I could do the doogie if that wouldn't set off so many sparks...

When I find the main coils, I reach out and carefully touch the closest one with both hands. Oh man, that feels good. It would be so easy to get sucked into the current, I need to be careful. Widening my stance, I brace myself and slowly start guiding my energy towards the coil. It's so hard to do this controlled. It's like trying to sneeze slowly. The urge to just unleash is overwhelming, but I can't give in to it. That's how I messed up yesterday, and this is my last chance. If I screw this up, I have no other choice left then just unleash energy randomly, and then I might as well WhatsApp my exact location to the Brotherhood. Slowly slowly I ease myself into it. Bit by bit, I manage to create a slow but steady stream into the coil. It glows and buzzes, but it holds. Good. Carefully I cranck it up a notch. The coils and wires start to spark and sizzle, and I hold my breath but keep going. Slowly my energy flows out of me, absorbed by the electricity network. What a relief. I bet a lot of lights are burning brightly now! The energy gets to an acceptable level, but I still hold on. It feels so good, breathing the electricity in and out, for once sustaining instead of controlling. I don't know how long I'm floating, in, and out. 

After a while I vaguely realise that it's time to go. My body will have a tough time after it's been pushed for so long, and I still need to find a place to crash and sleep for a week. I tilt my head back, eyes closed. One more time, in, out....... 

Crack! Just when I expel the last of the energy, the plant shuts down and it's pitch black for a moment. Crap. That last intake of a little energy is not going to happen it seems, and it would've been mighty useful NOW, oh irony. 

The generator lights flicker on, and absently I wonder why a power plant would need a generator anyway. It's bad planning, using a diesel engine when all that power is available, there must be a way of storing some, maybe like a battery or... A smooth, rich voice floats from the darkness, startling me.

'Oh I'm sorry to interrupt, by all means, please continue. It's fascinating. What are you doing exactly?'

I jerk away from the coil, stumbling, trying to get my scattered brain to work and my legs to obey. Footsteps, heavy, metallic footsteps come closer and a figure steps into the light. It's a robot, all metal in shiny red and gold, a glowing triangle embedded in it's chest. I frown. Am I hallucinating? Is that C3PO, I can't remember the last time I watched Star Wars, must've made quite an impression. He doesn't sound like... My left-brain slaps my right-brain and makes me pay attention. That is....Iron Man?

Holy Crap on a Cracker. Not good. Where there's one there's another. Adrenalin kicks in, shaking the dandelion fluff out of my mind. I need to come up with something and talk my way out of this pronto!

'Oh, no worries, you weren't interrupting at all. I was just finishing an upgrade.' I say in a hopefully cool and collected way, and smile loftily. No need to let Tin Man know he caught me at a disadvantage. For all he knows I've just upgraded myself instead of the District of Sometown, Nowhere. But I need to hurry. Since I sent all that energy into the network, my body has to do the job on it's own again and it's definitely not happy about that. My head is pounding, my stomach rolling and clenching with lack of food, and I'm lightheaded like teenager on wine coolers. I look around, and behind Iron Man, of course behind him, I see the sweet green light of the Emergency Exit sign. 

'Yeah, I thought it looked like something like that' he says, and he sounds very offhand, almost bored? 'Look, it seems like we have a little situation here. You're one of Magneto's people, and we know he's up to something, so we'd like you to come with us and have a little chat, so we know what's going on too. How does that sound huh? What's your name? You look a little peaky, we have excellent coffee...'

I stare at him. Is he for real? No he can't be, these are ouvertures, and he'll expect me to decline his offer so he can step up and take what he wants by force. It pisses me off too. Apparently I don't even look like a possible threat, what with the 'have a little chat' and 'what's your name (honey)'. I bristle, but I do need more time. I need to keep him talking so I can force my blank mind to come up with something, anything, to save my exhausted ass from this situation. 

'That depends. Who is 'we' exactly?' I ask in the same bored tone, trying to keep all options open although I have no intention of getting acquainted again with any kind of formal or informal organisation. Too many conspiracy theories turned out to be true for that, and too many mutants have disappeared. 

'Oh, just SHIELD, you know, the Strategic Homeland Intervention thingie, I forgot the rest.'

'Enforcement and Logistics Divison' a smooth female voice finishes, coming from the other side of the hall. She's still hidden in the dark, but yay, another one. Welcome to the party! I feel my already small chances diminishing even further. Great recon Glitch, not thinking further than the guards and techs, keep it up baby.

'Thank you for the offer, but I have to pass. I'm sure Magneto will be thrilled with SHIELD's interest though. I'll make sure he gets your message'. I lean back against the coils, just for show, and for support as well. I hope my reference to Magneto makes them wonder if there are any other mutants nearby. I don't want the attention of these two focused on me solely. 

'Oh we'll make sure he gets it m'aam, no need to worry about that. Now, I'm going to have to ask you to step away from the coils please...' And here's another one... As he steps forward I see a tall, broad-chested man in a leather uniform with a star in the middle of his chest. I sigh and rub my face with both hands. Even with backup I would've been outnumbered. And dude, what's with the whole wonder team? I know a plant-blowup doesn't happen every week, but still, overreacting much?

'Oh look, you've brought a welcoming committee. How marvellous! You've got to be kidding me...' I laugh with a too high voice, a touch of hysteria in there. This whole situation is just surreal and very funny, from a detached point of view. How ironic. I came here to straighten out the mess that Magneto had made of me and to get away from whatever sick plan he had, and then I run straight into this lot. Could I please get a break? The floor seems to be moving under my feet and I sway. 

'I kid you not.' C3PO says. 'And I still don't know your name. Are you drunk? Jarvis, is she drunk?'

'Analysis shows no sign of intoxication, sir. However, I notice a combination of dehydration and exhaustion. It would be advisable for Miss Moreau to visit the ER.'

'Moreau, huh? Thank you Jarvis. I would've thought Magneto would take better care of his assets...unless he thinks you're expendable. What's his plan, honey? You sure you don't want to come with us? We could fix you real quick...

I was scanning the rest of the hall for more members of the welcoming committee, but now my head whips back to Tin Man and the disembodied voice that just spilled things I rather hadn't seen spilled. Way to up the ante, thank you very much. He's trying to sow doubt, telling me he knows I'm on my own. Very well, time's up. Again I notice the glowing triangle in Iron Man's chest, and finally an idea bubbles up. I'm betting heavily on my guess that this is the suit's energy source, and hopefully it's something I can work with...

I push myself up from my leaned back position against the coil and carefully put my weight on my legs. They hold, for now. Time for a little drama. Slowly I stalk towards Mr. Red&Gold.

'Magneto holds his plans close to his hart. You want to know what he's planning, go and ask him yourself. I did not get out of that zoo to trade it for another.' I say sharply. Another step, but my knees wobble and the room is spinning around me. I hold out my arm to find my balance, and Iron Man involuntarily starts towards me. 

'Do NOT touch her, Stark!' The female's voice cracks like a whip. 'We don't know what she's capable of yet.' Great. Trust another woman to see right through your plans. I'll need to open the drama llama tap a bit further and make an appeal to the softer side of Stark before she can get between me and my fix. Another step, haltingly, a stumble. Grey walls are closing in on me, stars and planets and dragons dancing in my vision. Forget the drama, this will be a close call anyway. Putting all the chips on red now. Or gold.

'I can't do it..' I whisper, wide-eyed, channeling my inner Scarlett O'Hara. Just one step away from him now, he stands completely still. Come on, man, work with me here, damsel in distress and all... A shudder goes through me and my eyelids flutter and slowly close. 'I won't...' This is it, I'm going down and the last thing I manage is to completely relax and be open for any kind of energy.

On my way to the floor a strong, hard hand tightly grips my right elbow and pulls me up. Quickly I turn my hand so my fingers touch his arm. There it is! A strong current fills me, a very different quality than I'm used to, and my eyes flash open. Iron Man freezes, incapable of any move while I pull in the energy that sustains his suit.

Quick footsteps sound behind me, and I turn my head. 'Stay back, or Tin Man goes to the scrap heap!' I snap.

It's not pleasant at all, it hurts, this stuff, but I need it to make a proper escape. I turn back, reach out with my left hand and touch the glowing triangle in his chest. At the source, the energy is way more concentrated, I pull it to me but it is visceral and burns in every nerve in my body. I hiss and grit my teeth. Just a little more...

'What are you doing?' He whispers, and above me I hear the faceplate pop open.

'Just stealing your juice and getting my fix' I reply tersely. 'So I can leave you and the Dream Team behind me.' 

'Sir, energy levels have gone down to 50 percent and continue to fall.' the disembodied voice says, a little alarmed.

'You may want to leave a little bit' he stammers, 'or I'll..you know...die...the electromagnet...it keeps shrapnel out of my heart...' 

I look up, and see his face for the first time. It's not what I expected. It's a handsome, manly face, with a goatee that should've been tacky but for some reason isn't. There is a vulnerable quality to his face. It's the eyes. They're warm brown, huge, liquid, not hard and boring. There's a challenge in them, and a touch of fear, too. I stare at him, frowning. I have no intention of killing him, but I'm not going to reassure him either. He'd turn on me just as easy as I turned on him. That was a bitch move by the way, I think guiltily. He blinks, confused, and I tear my eyes away from his. 

'Sir, levels are 20 percent and falling!' Jarvis says again, definitely panicky now.

Time to get to work. I take my right hand from Stark's arm and put it next to the one already resting on the glowing triangle. I lift it up again and spread my fingers, creating a stream of energy between my hands. I lift it further, over my head, stretching the stream into a bubble. This is gruelling work. This energy hurts, burns. My breath comes in short, laboured gasps, my eyes screw shut and I shiver. What the fuck did I get myself into this time. I don't remember why this was a good idea, but I can't stop now. Slowly I drop my right hand from over my head to behind my back, to the ground, and up again. The bubble is now complete and engulfs me, protects me even though the energy itself is unwilling. I lift my left hand from Stark's chest, breaking the connection. With a gasp he topples backwards, straight on his iron ass and looks up at me, stunned, face white and sweaty. I frown and gently touch his shoulder through the bubble. There's a tiny current, enough to sustain the electromagnetic function. He'll be fine in a while, I tell myself.

When I look up towards the exit behind Stark, the way is again blocked by the rest of the team. They look rather grim. 'Careful!' Stark shouts to his buddies, turning over to see where I'm going. 'Don't get into that energy field, it will evaporate you!'. There's movement high above, a hissing sound and before I can lift my hands to block whatever is coming, an arrow has reached my shield. It never enters, just crumbles as it touches the bubble. I exhale, relieved. It's nice to see my theories proven right, and I grin. How about that???

'Stand aside!' Stark yells again, and grudgingly the banner-man and the woman move out of the way. I slip quickly past them, my legs again shaky with relief. The exit is closed, but where the bubble touches it, it burns right through. Within seconds, the hole is big enough for me to pass, and I walk out. I just walk out!!! Now, flee! I frown. This will need some redistribution, as most of the energy is used for the bubble and I definitely need some of it to make a proper pace. Reluctantly I draw some of the energy inwards and start to run. I decide to go for the highway, which is about 5 miles north of here, and steal another car or something. I just need to get somewhere...remote. The fine-tuning will have to come later. The pace is high and the energy courses and burns through my body. My eyes are wide open, but I don't really see where I'm going, just North.

I must've run for about 10 minutes, my mind drifting in and out of focus, when I hear somebody behind me shout 'Incoming!!!'. A fraction of a second later, metal arms encircle me and I crash to the ground with the impact, tumbling a few times over whatever hit me, down a slight decline. The impact against a large boulder whacks the air out of me, but it helps me break free of the metal grip. I have the presence of mind to keep rolling, away from him. Ow. OW! I get to my feet haltingly, gasping as the right side of my ribs feels seems to be on fire. My head feels like it's split open and I can feel something warm an wet trickling down the side of my face. Who the fuck does he think I am, Wolverine with that freaky healing factor? Jeez! Wait... I freeze... He's not supposed to be able to get through the shield at all, what happened? And how can Robocop be here already, he's supposed to be hooking up with an electrical socket for the next 3 hours??? 

Iron Man lazily stands up, flips up the face plate and winks at me. 'Did you miss me?'

I stare at him, stunned, and then I have the presence of mind to take a few steps back and throw up the shield of borrowed energy around me again, watching him warily. 

'That's not gonna work, you know...' he says in an earnest voice and takes a casual step towards me. I'm rooted to the spot. 'I saw how your, or better said, my shield pulverised Hawkeye's arrow. He's a little bit upset about that, by the way. Hawkeye always hits his mark. Good learning experience.' He takes another step. 'Anyway, then there was that door that you just melted away. Very nice, although a bit on the dramatic side.' 

Another step, he's just a few feet away now. My mind is racing but I can't come to a decision. I don't want to take more of Iron Man's energy, it's just too hard on me and it seems like it's not going to do me much good against him anyway. Blast him off his feet and make another run for it? Maybe if I pull everything together, make it really concentrated...but then there would be nothing left... He keeps talking, his eyes never leaving my face, I can't look away. He sounds genuinely surprised now. 'But when you were so kind to check on me before you left...' He stops right in front of me. '...did you notice...' Sticks his hand right through my shield, my eyes widen. '...that nothing happened???' He gently pokes my shoulder, and I gasp. Impossible! 

I duck under his outstretched arm so I'm behind him, turn around when he turns and we're facing each other again. I back away slowly, needing a little distance for the only meagre plan I have. Tin Man keeps talking. Does he ever shut up? 'When you touched the arc reactor and stole my energy, you stopped before you had taken it all. Why is that, why did you stop?' he asks, curiously. His eyes glitter like he's on to something.

'I felt the current waning when I closed the connection.' I whisper, more to myself than to him. 'Figured I had taken most of it...' Or did I? 

He tuts and rolls his eyes. 'If you had dug a little deeper, if you'd gone for the kill, you would've noticed I had rerouted half of the energy into reserve and that it was there for the taking. Jarvis cried wolf on my command'.

I scowl at him, then look away, furious with myself and with Iron Man. What a tool I am. 'Of course' I mutter bitterly, angrily. 'Killing people keeps you on top, right? Well thanks, I'll keep it in mind, starting now!' Ignoring the burn of the borrowed energy, I start bundling and compressing it. I push my hands together, crumpling the shield between them like a wad of paper. I pour everything I've got into it. Grimly I look up at him. 'I'm so done with people coming after me and trying to use me for whatever sick plan they have in mind!' My voice rises and I'm so angry, so frustrated, I've just had it. 'I'm done with Magneto and I'm certainly not gonna hang out with you and your SHIELD pals! Now, fuck off!!!' 

I seem to have startled him, because he steps back and warily eyes the glowing ball of energy in my hands. 'Hey, now...' He says nervously. 'That's not gonna work you know, that energy's got my signature all over it...'   
'Wanna bet?' I snarl while I pull my right arm back, left hand in front for aim. A memory shoots through my head, me pitching in Junior League before the whole shitstorm broke loose. It only makes me angrier, and with perfect aim I hurl the ball of energy straight towards Iron Man.

When the energy leaves my hand, Stark's eyes widen, his mouth forms the beginning of a true and well-deserved 'oh shit!', and in a reflex, his visor comes down and he thrusts the palms of his hands forward and fires both repulsors at the incoming energy. 

He shouldn't have done that...

When the energy meets the repulsor blasts, a spectacular explosion ensues. The shockwave lifts me off my feet and hurls me backward through the air, over the cluster of boulders. Sand and gravel stings my skin. I seem to be flying forever, straight into darkness and oblivion.


	2. Into the frying pan

IM pov

As the dust slowly clears, Tony rolls over and gets to his feet. 'That was...unexpected', he thinks. Quickly he checks his suit and tuts at the dust and scratches on the paint job. 'J, how are we?'

'All systems functional, sir', the cool British voice replies. 'But the wiring in the left arm and chest plate may need replacement. It seems that the excess energy flow that Miss Moreau created earlier has damaged the insulating layer of the wiring. There is a fair chance of...'

'Of short-circuiting myself, thanks Jarvis, I get it. Where is our spitting kitten?' 

'The shockwave has thrown Miss Moreau back over the rocks, about fifty feet to your right, sir. She seems to be unconscious at the moment'.

'Good', Tony says, satisfied. 'Don't want to get zapped again'. With a huff, he lets his repulsors boost him off the ground and then lands on the other side of the rocks, right next to where Glitch's crumpled form is covered with dust and rubble. She lies face down, but Tony grabs her shoulder and rolls her over. 'OK J, what do we got?', Tony asks absentmindedly while he looks the girl over. Tawny hair pulled back in a messy bun, face looks young but worn, black tank top, shredded flannel, ratty jeans with cuffed legs, and seriously singed Doc Martins. Average length but skinny. Too skinny. 'Can't be a day older than 23', Tony thinks out loud,' and most probably an Indy fan.' 

'Sir, face analysis shows that this is most probably Miss Eve Moreau, age 21, grew up in various foster homes and then disappeared 4 years ago. Although SHIELD has very limited data on the members of the mutant Magneto's Brotherhood, Miss Moreau is most likely part of that organisation under the code name Glitch. It is not confirmed what her abilities are, but based on what Miss Moreau has shown today I would suggest a form of electrokinesis.'

'Thank you J, most helpful. Younger than I thought, too', Tony mutters. 'But what would she be doing here on her own? We expected at least a few hooligans after that power plant got wrecked earlier. Usually they come in twos anyway'. He looks up and scans his surroundings. Not surprisingly, there's no one around. 

'Sir, Miss Moreau did mention earlier that she 'left the zoo' and was 'done with Magneto'. Perhaps her intentions were to break free from the Brotherhood.' Jarvis suggests.

'Maybe Jarvis, could've been a ruse too'. Tony opens the commlink. 'Cap, I got her, she's down and out. Did you see any friends of hers?'

'Negative, Stark, there was no one else around. We found the guards and the techs, she must've just stunned them because they were coming 'round already.' Steve replies.

'Huh. Just like the power plant in Northridge yesterday. You think that was her work too? How strange, I thought they didn't bother much with keeping people alive. And why didn't she blow up this plant?'

'I don't know, Stark. Probably because we stepped in. Coulson can find out when he questions her.' Steve says grimly.

'Right' Tony says uneasily. Somehow the idea of handing her over to SHIELD didn't sit well with him. There's something strange with this girl, and he doubts that SHIELD will be the right environment to discover what exactly. Most mutants are extremely wary of anything government-related, even the ones at Xavier's Institution prefer to keep their contact with SHIELD at a minimum. Considering how Moreau had bluffed and fought her way out of a four-Avenger ambush, in a SHIELD facility chances are that she would either shut down or break out and die trying. 'Yeah, about that...'

'Nearly there, Stark', Steve says curtly.

Soon enough, the Jeep with Rogers, Romanoff and Barton arrives. They jump out and walk over to Stark. 

'She looks pretty roughed-up, Stark', Barton says. 'Did you go a few rounds with her? Looked like she could take you..' he jabs.

'Shut it, bird-brain', Tony replies annoyed. 'She tried to blow me up but it backfired. Anyway, she'll probably wake up anytime soon...'

'You mean like a healing-factor?' Romanoff asks incredulously. 'Stark, that's just Wolverine. The healing-factor is his unique ability. The rest of them bleeds and dies like any of us.'

Tony looks at Eve's still form, her breath hardly detectable. 'Oops...Jarvis, what is her status?'

'Body analysis shows signs of severe exhaustion and dehydration, and mild malnutrition. Three bruised ribs on the right side, hairline fracture in the right wrist and a grade II concussion. Vital signs are very weak, but stable.' Jarvis rattles off. 'I suggest immediate medical care.'

'Very well.' says Steve. 'Let's load her up the quinjet and get her to the Triskeleon'.

'Let's not do that.' blurts Tony. 

3 pairs of eyes stare at Tony like he's just grown a third eye.

'Think about it.' he says hastily. 'If we want to find out what Magneto is up to, we need her to cooperate. No mutant will do that in a government facility. She'll just freak out and become useless.'

'You're right about that.' Natasha agrees. 'Until now SHIELD has never managed to interrogate a mutant successfully. Their aversion of government institutes is so severe that none of them has cooperated freely. And their weaknesses are all unique and hard to find. The few that we've had all shut down after a while...' She cocks her head at Tony. 'What are you suggesting?'

'I suggest', he says slowly, brain whirring, 'that I take her to the Tower as my guest, look after her, and invite her to cooperate in a non-threatening environment. At least the coffee is better than at SHIELD's. If it doesn't work, then she's free to go and SHIELD is free to have a go at her.' Tony is positively beaming with his brilliant solution.

Steve is still staring at Tony. 'Are you crazy? What if she turns on you? What if this is exactly what she wants, a ruse to get into the Avengers Tower? We don't know the extent of her powers. She could pick us off one by one!'

Tony shakes his head, waving Steve's objections away. 'We'll have Barton around, he can shoot her up with a sedative if things get out of hand.'

'Because that worked so well last time...' Barton says sourly.

'She was ambushed by four Avengers and defending herself. The idea is to make her feel at ease, comfortable, so she won't feel at gunpoint all the time. I have a feeling about this.' Tony insists. 'I can make this work.'

'Very well.' Steve sighs. 'But I'm not the one who is going to inform Fury about this. And if it goes wrong, it's all on you, Stark.'

'Sir, Miss Moreau's vitals are slowly dropping. I suggest emergency transport to the Tower.' Jarvis informs urgently.

I'll get her to the quinjet.' Tony says, and scoops Eve off the ground and takes off. 'Easier load than you, Cap!'

'Right.' mumbles Steve. Then he starts to grin. 

'What's up with you?' Natasha asks. 'You look like the cat that got the cream...'

'Just visualising Stark's face when he realises that he personally brought an unstable electrokinetic into his completely electrotechnically equipped Tower. Imagine all those projects and installations she'll make go haywire. I bet he'll send her off to SHIELD himself within the week...'

\-----

When Tony arrives at the quinjet after five minutes, he unceremoniously dumps Eve on the stretcher in the medic bay and calls for Bruce.

'New project, Bruce. Mutant, electrokinetic, some bumps and bruises, a concussion, but mostly severely exhausted and dehydrated. Most probably over exhausted herself.

Bruce hums and takes a closer look. He lifts her eyelids. 'Pupils are responding equally so the concussion isn't too bad'. He lays his fingers against the side of her throat, gently probing for the jugular artery, and waits. Then he looks up, alarmed. 'I can hardly feel a heartbeat, it's so slow. Her blood pressure must be dropping too. She could go into cardiac arrest any second!'

Sir, Miss Moreau's heartbeat has dropped to less than 10 beats per minute and has started to fillibrate. Jarvis informs.

Bruce immediately runs to the cabinet and pulls out the AED. He tears Eve's flannel open, pushes up the tank top and attaches the electrodes on the right side of her chest and the left side of her ribcage. After 10 long seconds, the AED beeps a warning signal and then administers a 500 volt pulse. Eve's body doesn't surge as expected, but she gasps in a breath. Bruce checks the heart rate again.

'Better, although still on the slow side. I'll give her oxygen as well.' he says.

'Keep the AED attached.' Tony advises. 'If she has completely exhausted herself then she's running on the current from the AED right now. Big chance that she'll use it up and need more later on.

Bruce frowns. 'That's not natural.' he sputters.

'Right. I don't think that particular adjective applies to any of us.' Tony replies wrily.


	3. Into the fire

Consciousness was the strangest thing. On a certain level, Glitch realized she was waking up, but from where or where to, she didn't care. The black velvet was without care or pain, and as Glitch's discomfort grew steadily, she stubbornly willed herself back into that sweet abyss.

The discomfort was relentless as a fish hook however, dragging her into wakefulness, and the wakefulness in its turn unveiled the discomfort as actual pain. 

Her head was pounding, the right side of her ribcage was on fire, and her whole body felt battered and bruised. Glitch groaned softly, her eyes fluttering.

'Good morning, Miss Moreau.' A polite British voice said. 'Mr. Stark assumed you would experience some discomfort, so he...'

At the sound of the voice, Glitch jerked her head up and opened her eyes, fully alert. The movement sent a stab of pain through her upper body, and she gasped, letting her head fall back. 'What the hell....where am I?'

'...left a variety of painkillers for you to choose from, figuring you'd be the best person to assess your needs. You are at the Stark Tower, level 63. Is there anything I can assist you with?' the British voice finished.

Stunned, Glitch didn't answer. Stark Tower... The woman at the plant called Iron Man Stark. That meant SHIELD had her, oh fuck... Trying not to panic, she turned her head from left to right, taking in the room. It looked like a tastefully decorated guest room, modern and design-like, but without the sterile vibe of minimalistic design. The giant window offered a view over the city. She lifted her wrists. No restraints or cuffs. Her left wrist was supported in a splint with a bandage wrapped around it. She dropped her arms again and stared at the ceiling. This... was unexpected. 

She turned her head to the left again and eyed the bottles on the night stand. 

'Mr Stark apologizes for not having any painkillers administered to you before you woke up, but he assumed you would prefer to wake up with a clear head, as far as possible.' the voice out of nothing spoke again.

This was getting annoying. Couldn't she do anything without someone commenting on it? It was like freaking Facebook. The meds looked attractive, but they were on her left, and the bruised ribs on her right side. Finally, Glitch decided to roll carefully to her left. Just this movement made her wince and gasp already. She stuck her legs out of bed and let them dangle. Putting her left elbow under her, she braced herself for the most gruelling part: pushing up.

'The remote control for positioning the bed is under your pillow, near your right hand.'

Right.

'Who are you, and why don't I see you?' Glitch asked absently, after fixing the bed in a better position. She checked out the various bottles. There was ordinary tylenol, motrin 400, aprol forte, and vicodin. 

'My name is JARVIS, and I'm Mr. Stark's Artificial Intelligence.'

'What, he doesn't have any of his own?' Glitch decided on 2 Motrins for now. The vicodin was likely to make her pass out, and she needed to be alert, not stoned. She stared at the pills in her hand. Was she making a insanely stupid decision by chugging pills from an unknown source? The bottle said Motrin but for all she knew it could be xtc, vitamins, or arsenic. 

'I'm not sure how to reply to that. However, I can assure you that the contents of the bottles is exactly as described on the labels.'

Glitch rolled her eyes. 'Knock it off, would you!', she snapped. 

'As you wish, ma'am.' the voice said coolly.

The AI, as far as it really was an AI and not someone behind a monitor spying on her, was probably right though. Glitch didn't how long she had been out, but probably long enough for her captors to shoot her up with god knows what. And unless this was some sick psychological game, then they wouldn't put her up in a nice room without any restraints. 

Right?

Besides, she could either stay right here in bed, immobilized by her injuries and passively wait for things to come, or take the gamble and try to patch herself up a bit and see if she could find a way out of here. Glitch shrugged (ouch!) and swallowed the pills with some water.

Breathing shallowly to keep her ribs as still as possible, Glitch laid back again and closed her eyes, waiting for the motrin to kick in. After days of maddening buzzing in her head, the peace and silence was a strange relief. The feeling of being filled with energy to the point of bursting was gone too. As in a dream she remembered the terrifying sensation of almost shattering with it, suddenly blocked by being tethered or held together by something, or someone?

Frowning, Glitch dug a little deeper to see what that all meant, but couldn't get a grip on the memory, and it slipped away. 

The absence of constantly pressing energy made her wonder though... Glitch opened her eyes, lifted her forearms, and extended her wrists and fingers with one decisive, snappy motion. 

Nothing happened. Well, instead of the pinkish-purple arc of energy she had expected to see dancing between her palms, she got a sharp pain shooting up from her left wrist.  
Well crap. She tried again. Nothing. Not even a spark from her pinky finger.

With a sinking feeling, Glitch closed her eyes again and took a deep brea...ouch! Fuck! With clenched teeth she waited for the pain to subside a bit, and then tried again. Shallow breaths this time. 

Glitch had always visualized the source of her energy as some kind of giant plasma globe, but without the encasing glass, the energy a swirling ball, somewhere below her sternum. Breathing slowly, Glitch reached inside herself, mentally searching for the familiar image of the plasma globe in the dark. 

It was there, but...

The swirling plasma globe was now nothing but a pinprick, pulsing slowly. Glitch tried to get closer, to nurture it like you would gently blow on a tiny flame on a piece of tinder. But somehow, the glass encasing of the globe was for real this time. There was a barrier, and Glitch couldn't reach the core. The energy was there (sort of), but she was completely cut off from it, or so it seemed. 

Glitch gave it a tentative little push with her mind. Nothing happened.  
Again she tried, this time picturing herself punching the globe with a knuckle-duster.  
Still nothing. Not even a crack in the glass.

Ok then...

Glitch opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling (again) and tried to suppress the panic rising up in her again. Unconsciously she had counted on her energy to get her out of this...situation, but clearly that was not going to happen for now. Crap.

She looked around the room again. Accessing her own energy was out of bounds for now, but she assumed it was still possible to conduct energy from a different source. Eyeing the socket low in the opposite wall, she got an idea.

'Mr. Stark is inquiring if you would like your breakfast now.' the AI announced.

Food. Food would be good. Maybe there'd even be coffee if she played along nicely.

'Breakfast would be nice, thank you.'

'Very well. Mr. Stark will bring you your breakfast himself, so you can discuss your current situation with him. Eggs or waffles?'

Um, no... Glitch had no appetite for Stark right now. Not until she had somewhat regrouped herself.

'Both please, and coffee with milk if you have it. But you may leave Mr. Stark at the door, just breakfast is enough, thank you'.

'I'm afraid Mr. Stark insists, ma'am.'

'Ugh. Give me a minute to decide, J.'

Glitch considered her 'current situation'. She was weak as fuck, injured, her energy source was offline it seemed, and she really, really needed some food. Food would at least let her work on problem no. 1, and that might speed up problems 2 and perhaps even 3. 

So, breakfast it would be then, even if it came with an unpalatable side of Stark.

'Allright, I'll have breakfast now...' she said, resigned. 'And, could I please ask for an electrical extension cord?'

'Very well, I'll have Mr. Stark come up.'

'Do your worst.' Glitch muttered.

After a few minutes, there was a tentative knock on the door. Glitch, who had decided that silent anger was a less embarrassing approach to the whole situation than meek compliance, rolled her eyes and snorted, and decided to let Stark answer his own damn door. 

Unperturbed by Glitch's lack of reaction, Stark waltzed in with a tray full of food. And coffee. There was definitely coffee somewhere on that tray. A white extension cord hung in loops over Stark's shoulder. 

'Good morning!' he said cheerfully. 'Finally I get a chance to talk to you without all those repulsor beams and energy bombs flying around. Much better circumstances for conversation. Here's your breakfast, dig in!' And with an artful swing, he landed the tray on the bedside table and pulled it over Glitch's legs. He tossed the cord on the floor next to the bed. Then, he sat down in a chair somewhere at the end of the bed.

Right in Glitch's view.

Fucker.

She decided to ignore him for now. Food was more important. Glitch stabbed a piece of syrup-drenched waffle on her fork, but when she tried to lean in a bit towards the plate, her ribs seriously protested. Glitch gasped, dropping the fork on her plate. Stark, with his too keen eyes noticing everything, picked up on her discomfort immediately. And apparently decided to be an ass about it.

'Did you know,' he said, twiddling a pen with his fingers, 'that bruised ribs usually make extremely painful injuries?'

Glitch shot him a look.

No shit, Sherlock.

'Yeah, no, I mean, it's actually the injuries of the muscles and cartilage around the ribs that causes most of the pain, you know.  
Oh and um, you may want to breathe as normally as possible? No shallow breaths, it can cause pneumonia. You don't wanna end up coughing with bruised ribs. At least, that's what Bruce told me. '

Glitch glowered at him, and seriously contemplated throwing her coffee at his head. It would be a serious waste of coffee though, and her trademark arm swing wasn't exactly possible right now.

Stark leaned forward in his chair, his face serious but his eyes somehow glittering mischievously. 'Do you need me to feed you?'

That was the bloody last drop. Glitch exploded in quiet fury.

'This is all YOUR freaking fault!', she hissed, with her arm pressed against her sore side to keep it from moving as she let it all out.

'Hey now, ' Stark protested. 'I stuck out my neck to get you here, you know.'

'If you can remember, I didn't ask for you to do that. I told you guys to fuck off, and now I'm here anyway!' Her voice grew steadily louder. 'You get in trouble? Fine! Good for you! I don't give a shit! Ouch, dammit!'

Stark looked down at his hands, and back up again, clearly unimpressed with her anger. 'If you're done with your rant, you may want to realise that it's either this place, or a SHIELD facility.'

'And how exactly is there a difference?' Glitch said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. 

'I don't work for SHIELD. I'm part of the Avengers, but the Avengers mostly draw their own plans, and SHIELD can't tell me what to do. They are right outside the tower though, itching to get their hands on you. But I struck a deal with them, and it's up to you to accept that deal or not.'

'You're lying. This is a scam, trying to...'

'I'm not lying. I may...omit things from time to time, but I don't lie. Look, this is the deal I made with SHIELD. For now, you are under my, ah, guard and protection. You can stay here as long as you like (Glitch scoffed), recover, and see what we as Avengers are trying to do. It would be welcome if you would share any information you have on Magneto's band, once you see that we are trustworthy, but I'm not going to push you for it. You are not a prisoner, you are free to leave this place any time you like. But outside the tower, SHIELD is free to have a go at you, and I won't stop them.'

To his surprise, Glitch snorted and grinned incredulously. 'So what you are trying to say, if I understand correctly, is that a semi-government institution...'

'It's not a government institution, I'm not on SHIELD's payroll.' Stark said between clenched teeth.

'Oooh, is that a sore point? Whatever, it looks the same to me. You're trying to woo a mutant, one from the 'dark' side, to be precise, into trusting and cooperating with a, oh well, government-related institution?' Glitch carefully picked up her coffee and took an appreciating whiff of the aroma. Needling Stark was surprisingly satisfying.

'You really must like a challenge. Good luck with that.' She added, her doubt of his mental abilities clear in her voice. Leaning back a little, she took a sip of the hot coffee. 'Mmmm', she hummed, 'Oh man, this is the good stuff. Well, at least you've got the coffee going for you. '

Stark stared at her. 'You should try the eggs before they're cold.' he said, his voice so low it almost rumbled.

'I will, once you leave me alone.'

'Alright, I won't bother you anymore. For now.' Stark said loftily. He got up from his chair, stuck his hands in his pockets and grinned. 'But ehm, what's with the power cord?' he asked, offhand.

Glitch kept her face completely neutral. She figured it probably wouldn't take Stark very long to find out that her power was half-assed at the moment, but she still wanted to keep that little fact to herself as long as possible. 

'I'm not sure yet, but I may strangle you with it.' she said with a straight face.

Stark snorted. 'Oh please, I know at least 10 different ways to get out of a strangle loop.'

'Then you've got nothing to worry about.' Glitch said with a tired voice. The whole conversation had drained her, and she just wanted to eat and sleep. 'Can you just go, now?'

'Ok, ok. So, game on?' He asked, with one eyebrow raised.

'Yeah, yeah, now shoo! Argh...'

Stark walked out of the room, but then he stuck his head back around the door. 'You're more trusting than you think, you know.' he said innocently. 'At least you're eating the food...'

Well crap.


End file.
